2019 Walter Scott 'Sojeau Vineyard' Pinot Noir MAGNUM

It's exceedingly rare that I find common ground with those pesky wine reviewers, but Ken Pahlow managed to make a wine that appeals to the big-name magazines and a cynic like myself in equal measure. Dennis & Thelma Peseau purchased this volcanic, steeply sloped, and "rocky as f**k" (words straight from the winemaker's mouth) vineyard in 2007 after almost 40 years of farming in the Eola-Amity Hills. With native and ambient yeast fermentation and a minimalist approach, Pahlow coaxes out notes of black tea, baking spice, birch, and brambly red fruit, with gentle tannins and a lasting finish. There's a complex but inviting tension here, one that some winemakers can only dream about.